A new Youth Council, helping to give a stronger voice to young people in the Royal Borough, met for the first time at the Town Hall on Monday evening.

More than 30 young people applied to be representatives, with 17-year-old Robert Jansen-Spence eventually elected as their first chairperson.

The forum aims to support young people to get involved in their communities, playing an active role in shaping and informing local decisions.

Among the topics discussed at the first meeting was their new constitution and agreeing a letter to schools that are not represented currently on the Youth Council.

Chairperson Robert Jansen-Spence, of The Windsor Boys’ School, said: “It’s a real honour to be elected as the first chairperson.

"We had a fantastic first meeting as a Youth Council and it has been really exciting to meet with the others in the Council Chamber and make a start.

“Young people are really interested in what happens in our community.

"The Youth Council will give us a stronger voice and enable us to get more involved in decisions that will affect us and champion issues we care about.

"We already have a number of ideas we’re looking at.

“We are still open to welcoming new members from schools and young groups across the borough, so if you’re aged between 14 and 19 and either live, or go to school, within the borough, then please apply through the website.”

Councillor Andrew Johnson, leader of the (adult) council, said: “The formation of the Youth Council is a big moment and it’s clear from the number of applications and quality of discussion that we have some really engaged young people across the Royal Borough, who want to make a positive difference in their communities.

“As a Cabinet, we’re frequently making decisions that affect the future, either in the shorter or longer terms, and so we’re naturally keen to hear the thoughts of our young residents about their experiences and perspectives.

“The Youth Council is a fantastic platform, empowering young people to highlight, discuss and collaborate around issues that matter to them, whether local or national, and play a meaningful role in shaping and informing local decision-making.”